Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Savage Collectors Need a part -

If this kind of request is out of line let me know and I'll delete it.

I need an original front sight blade for a 1922 1899E. The sight base is integral with the barrel and the blade pins into a slot cut parallel to the bore.

My understanding is that the original was a bead sight. The previous owner has filed mine to a knife edge and my old eyes just don't pick it up as well as they used to.

I can make one but if some one has one in the parts box they're willing to sell I would appreciate it.

thanks.

Those are pretty rare and costly to boot.

If you are handy enough to whip one up you will be well served with that solution.

I made one for mine with a 1/16" gold bead. Made the bead out of a chunk of gold from my old wedding band and soldered it on.

At least you found a good use for it! John

CHB, the proper sight is a Lyman #26, 32 or 24. Marbles made a replacement, #16. Redfield called it the "Sourdough". King had some, too. The earliest Lyman front sights should be stamped with an "L" (or "H" from a Model 1920.) The later Lyman replacement sights, found on celophane wrapped cards, will have the version letters stamped on them, such as "GF" for the 32GF, with a gold bead.

In 1924, Savage switched to the longer integral sight base. Model number of front sight the same, but too long for the shorter base. Useable, but too long. Several rifles used the Lyman 26/32, so there are different heights and lengths of the sight within the model #. Krag, Winchester, MS, Springfield, and other rifles of the period used 26/32. Those sights can be filed down (built up) to get bullet strike within an acceptable area. Likely that your current sight is not intended for a Savage 99.

The thickness of the blade is a standard 0.063", so any metal stock that thickness can work. Maybe brass plate from a hobby shop? A shooting buddy uses a real-copper Lincoln penney as a nice, wide square-top front sight. Standard height, for your rifle, would run about 0.300 to 0.385". A tiny height difference translates into inches of bullet strike change at 100 yards.

Finally, the retaining "pin" originally was a tiny threaded screw. The replacement packs never included the screw, to my knowledge. Screw is easy to lose, and harder to replace than an original sight. Brass wire may be the best replacement pin, carefully peening the ends.

The E, F, G, and model 1920 used the same integral base, 1920 to 1924.

gnoahhh,

Got to be a story there and one that would go good with a shot of jack!

LRF

Not much of a story really. I just believe in recycling! Meet girl, marry girl, divorce girl when you get tired of hearing her nag you about all of the guns you drag home. A sad but familiar story. I just find it to be poetic justice to use the gold that she slipped onto my finger that fateful day to grace the barrels of some of my rifles! Additionaly it being gold it won't tarnish, unlike the typical brass or copper bead. Luckily it is one of those wide thick ones. Lots of material to work with. Thinking of giving it to the engraver to make into my monogram on the floorplate of the Mauser Sporter I'm building.

I have some chunks of elephant ivory that I can't figure out how to reliably attach to a sight blade. Any ideas?

Also, I remember my Dad making sight blades out of 1/16" thick sheets of silver solder, the hard variety. (high silver content)

I saw one old codger at the range had a Mercury dime cut and put up front---waaayyy cool.

I made one out of a Mercury dime one time was not to hard, and worked ok! John

Is the sight blade Bill is looking for one of those that is flat stock, but flares to a bead on top? Blade thickness .063 and height from the bottom flat to the top of the bead is .300 to .385 if I read Randy correctly?? Reason I ask is that the Maryland Arms Collectors show is this weekend and there may be some repro sight blades there that will fit the bill. Does it look like one of the sights here? : http://www.savage99.com/front_sights.htm

I think it is the 5th one down.

This will fit, but height and length will have to be filed. Retainer hole is in correct position. You don't have to file it, but expect an eventual bloody finger otherwise.
Springfield front sight blade auction.

Thanks to all who responded. Armed with the Lyman part numbers and the dimensions I can go looking or fabricate one in the shop.
The type I need is either number 4 or 5 in the link below.

http://www.savage99.com/front_sights.htm

CHB